There are many devices in use today to attract wild game animals. Typically, these wild game animals include deer, moose, elk, wild fowl and waterfowl, or even turkeys. These devices that produce sound to attract the wild game are often referred to as game callers. Rattling horns, both large and small are commonly used to create sounds that will attract deer.
Large horns have one major advantage--volume. They can be heard for long distances, or in thick cover. However, they also have disadvantages, mostly in carrying them around. Horns can be hung on a thong looped around the hunter's neck, but large antlers clatter on everything else that is carried from binoculars to a rifle. They can also present a safety problem, since there are people in the woods who will shoot at horns regardless of what neck they're hanging from. For this reason some hunters paint their horns hunter orange.
Deer can hear small horns at surprising distances. The hunter need only to "tickle" the small horns several times to attract deer. Some bow hunters rattle an aluminum arrow against the wooden riser of the bow to call in bucks. Still other hunters use "rattling bags," small bags full of bone chips or other hard material, that simulate the light ticking of tines. They can be worked with one hand, with very little movement.
Still, many other hunters prefer a grunt call for close work, partially because it provides another type of sound. Unlike a rattling bag, a small grunt call doesn't even need one hand to work, leaving both hands free for your rifle or bow. Many calls are mouth-operated by blowing into them. Some calls require hunters to grunt vocally with their throats as they blow into the caller.
Sometimes it helps to provide other sound effects. Some of these devices are treadle operated by stepping on them with ones foot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,615, granted Dec. 9, 1980, P. A. Bracknell, discloses a sight mount for an archery bow embodying a bracket to be mounted upon a bow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,396, granted Jan. 23, 1992, to P. Shepley, et al., teaches of an accessory mount for a removable rigid securement of an accessory to an archery bow. The accessory mount provides for the mounting of a quiver to store more arrows, an overdraw mechanism or a sight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,304, granted May 30, 1995, to R. K. Pardue, discloses a mounting jig that is removable and coupleable to a hunting bow, adapted to receive a removable turkey caller.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,590, granted Jul. 11, 1995, to F. M. Abbas, discloses an apparatus for calling game animals when the user is hunting with an archery bow. A game attracting call is sounded when the user either draws or blows air through a conduit which is connected to the bow mounted game caller.
There are many problems associated with using the apparatus described. Many of the devices require two hands to operate the device; some only one hand. There are calls that must be held in the mouth which can cause fatigue to the hunter holding the device. Foot operated apparatus is awkward at best, therefore does not find much application in deer hunting. Others may emit undesirable sounds at inappropriate times, thereby "spooking" the prey. The nature of the hunt requires that a bow hunter will be able to silently operate the caller device even with a fully drawn bow.
What is needed is a small, lightweight, reliably operated caller that can be mounted to a hunting weapon, such as to a hunting bow or firearm, to attract deer and other wild game. In this regard, this invention fulfills this need.